Disclaimer: I do not own JA or any of the characters.

Chapter 10: Queen of Hearts

"Lauren you are going to be late!"

"Amy why are you in such a rush this morning? There is plenty of time to get to Lauren to school, she is nowhere near late!"

"That is why I said she is going to be late!"

"Well why are you in a rush?"

"I am not in a rush!" Amy turned back to the stairs. "Lauren hurry up. I want to leave in the next 5 minutes!"

Lauren finally made her way downstairs, "Chill mom, I've got like an hour before I have to be at school."

"No you have 5 minutes before I leave, with or without you!"

"But...."

"No buts!"

Amy had trouble controlling her speed as she drove to the courthouse, she was desperate to find out what David's surprise was. She couldn't find him anywhere though and finally went to her chambers feeling slightly deflated. She opened the door, without looking up and turned her back to the room as she closed the door. She stayed there for a moment trying not cry.

"Hey what's wrong with you? You look like you just got told some really bad news."

"David?" Amy slowly turned and gasped as she looked around her chambers. They were covered in roses and he was standing by her desk looking concerned.

"Yeah who else." She ran to him and threw herself into his arms. He held her tightly as she cried. "Why are you crying sweetie?"

"I thought, I thought you weren't coming!"

"What?"

"I thought that maybe you had...."

"Run away?" Amy slowly nodded. David lifted her chin so she was forced to look him in the eye. "I told you that I was over running!" He leant in and softly kissed her. "And now for your surprise."

"This isn't my surprise?" Amy gestured to the room.

"Nope," he took a small package out of his pocket, "this is."

Amy opened it and gasped at what she saw. "It's gorgous." In the package was a heart shaped pendant.

"Look at the back." She turned it over.

You're in my heart

For now and for

Always. D xxx

"Do you like it?"

"It's perfect." Amy went to put it on. But David took it from her.

"Allow me." She turned and lifted her hair as he fastened the necklace. He kissed her neck, caressing it with his tongue. She turned in his arms and met his mouth with hers. They kissed passionately until the door opened.

"Judge Gray....sorry ." Amy stiffened in David's arms as Bruce backed out of her chambers and closed the door quickly. He leant against the wall and breathed deeply. He felt like he had his heart ripped out. He closed his eyes and thought back to when she had been in his arms, when she had been kissing him.

"I should go." David had noticed how Amy's mood had changed.

"No, you can stay. He just doesn't think to knock. He normally doesn't have to."

"I see." He looked at his watch, kissed her softly, and then started towards the door. "But I still have to go. Abner will kill me if I am late again!"

"Are you sure you have to?" Amy tilted her head to one side, looking at him longingly. David paused by the door. "Cause I'm sure he won't mind if you're a bit late. You can always say you needed to check something with me." David stepped back towards her. "I'll back your story." He took her in his arms looking into her eyes. "Stay a little longer." She leant into him, forcing their hips together. She reached up and brushed his lips with hers as she whispered, "I'll make it worth your while." Her tongue entered his mouth, and she kissed him passionately, deeply but stopped just as they got into a rhythm. "The rest you will have to wait for."

"Hey that's not fair. I want to finish that kiss before I leave." He leant down to her, but she placed a finger on his lips.

"Sorry, you are going to be late!"

"But...." She pushed him away.

"No, David," She backed away as she played with the pendant. "Tonight." She turned her back on him, and he hesitated for a second before pulling her back to him. She tilted her head back and looked back at him upside down.

"Love you." He kissed her gently on the lips.

"Love you too." She reached back and caressed his cheek. He moved back and Amy began to fall and she screamed. David caught her just before she hit the floor. "Hey, that's not funny." He lifted her up and kissed her, but it was interupted by Bruce bursting into the room.

"Are you ok Judge Gray?" He stepped towards them, expecting David to let go of Amy, but he held her tightly.

"I'm fine Bruce," she giggled as David squeezed her. He took another step towards her. "Really I am fine." She turned and looked at David, "Stop it."

"Amy, Judge Gray. Are you sure?"

"I'm sure Bruce. I am fine, thank you for your concern." She could see the jealousy flashing in his eyes. She brushed Davids hands away. "You should get to work, you don't want Abner to kill you."

David reluctantly released his hold on Amy, picked up his briefcase, gave her a quick kiss before leaving.

"What is your problem? Were you waiting outside the door or something?"

"Yes as a matter of fact I was. I wanted to get to work."

"It's early, you don't need to be here yet!"

"I am always here this early," Bruce took a deep breath, not wanting to argue any more. He saw the pendant hanging from her neck. She had unconsciously been playing with it as she spoke. "Decided to brand you did he? Claim ownership?"

"It's just a pendant."

"Really?" He stepped forward and read the inscription. "Really?" Amy's breathing became more jagged, his breath was gently beating against her face. His fingers brushing her neck as he played with the pendant.

"Bruce,"

"Really?" Amy raised her hand to his chest, with the intention to push him away, but it just stayed there. "Really?" She looked away, but Bruce quickly turned her back to face him. "Amy, is that really all it is?"

"Yes, Bruce. That is what it is."

"You realise what this actually symbolises, don't you?"

"It's just a pendant Bruce."

"No, it's David's heart, and you have accepted it, and are now in control of it. I bet he even put it on you! He has trusted you with his heart, he is saying that you will in effect own his heart always. That nothing can change that. And you have accepted it, have accepted the role to look after it."

"Bruce it's just a pendant."

"If that was true why did he have it engraved?"

"So that I would remember...."

"Remember what it means and what it stands for....always."

Amy finally managed to compose herself and push him away. "It is still just a pendant!"

"That is not how David see's it."

"Maybe not, but that is how I see it, it is just a gift from someone I lo...." She looked away, afraid to finish her sentence. Bruce still had hold of the pendant as she backed away further. Before she realised it the chain had snapped and Bruce was standing there holding it. The tension built up in the room. A tear rolled down her cheek as she looked up at him frozen with the pendant chain hanging from his hand. "I guess you own his heart now?!" He held the pendant out to her and as she reached to take it and encased her hand in his.

"Amy you have to understand how hard this is,"

"Giving me David's heart?"

"It feels like by giving you this back, I'm giving my blessing in some sort of way, that I am closing the door of my heart...."

"Bruce please don't, I can't take this much more."

"You can't take much more?! You are the one in charge! You get to choose! It's like some competition, David won round one and now it's my turn to prove my love for you!"

"Bruce stop it. It's not like that."

Bruce stood still holding Amy's hand. The softness of her skin captivated him, making him never want to let her go. He closed his eyes, trying to push thoughts of them together out of his mind. He calmed himself before speaking again.

"Amy you know that I love you. You know that I always will and as you said before we will always be friends. I don't want to loose that. I'm sorry for all that I said. I'm sorry for making you upset. It just hurts me to see you with.... I'm sorry! Please forgive me." He opened his eyes and looked into her face. The pain she was feeling was evidant in her eyes. The conflict she was enduring. He released his hold on her and the pendant. "Please forgive me."

"Of course I forgive you, we will always be friends. Friends forgive each other." She smiled and as always he felt his heart melt as he watched her infectious smile, and a small smile entered onto his lips.